FAFSA for Undocumented Students & Students With Undocumented Parents
If you're a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen student, you can (and should) file the FAFSA, even if your parents are undocumented. Your parents' immigration status does not make you ineligible for federal student aid. Federal Student Aid explicitly states this.
In fact, the FAFSA form doesn't even ask about your parents' or spouse's status. You can read more on the Federal Student Aid website.
If you're an undocumented student (including DACA recipients), you aren't eligible for federal student aid. But you may qualify for state aid, college aid, and private scholarships depending on where you live and where you apply.
Who this guide is for
Students who are U.S. citizens (or eligible noncitizens) with undocumented parents
If you're a U.S. citizen, you should submit the FAFSA, even if your parents are undocumented. They may be asked to share financial information, including tax and income details, even if they do not have Social Security numbers (SSNs). But that's okay.
Federal Student Aid provides guidance for mixed-status families and explains that parents without an SSN can still participate in the FAFSA process.
Undocumented students (including many DACA students)
Undocumented students are not eligible for federal student aid, including Pell Grants and federal student loans. However, Federal Student Aid recommends checking with your school or a counselor, as states and colleges may offer their own aid programs and request FAFSA-like information to award non-federal assistance.
It's important to note that DACA status generally does not make you eligible for federal student aid as a noncitizen.
Key financial aid definitions
FAFSA
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is the form colleges use to determine eligibility for federal aid and, in many cases, state and school aid. Check out Appily's FAFSA Resource Hub for more.
Contributor
A contributor is a person, often a parent, who is required to provide information on a student's FAFSA. Federal Student Aid's partner guidance covers how contributors complete their portion of the form, including when a contributor does not have an SSN.
Undocumented student
An undocumented student is someone who is not a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen. Federal Student Aid states that undocumented students (including DACA students) are not eligible for federal student aid.
How to complete the FAFSA with an undocumented parent
Federal Student Aid has published step-by-step instructions for cases where a required contributor does not have a Social Security Number (SSN). Their instructions are helpful, so be sure to bookmark them. We'll run through them briefly here.
What you'll need before you start (especially if a parent doesn't have an SSN)
- A working email address for you and your parent (each needs their own StudentAid.gov account access).
- Your parents' legal name, date of birth, and current address exactly as they'll enter it on their StudentAid.gov account (matching details helps prevent invitation and verification issues).
- Your parents' tax and income information for the FAFSA year you're filing (usually the tax year from two years prior). So you need a 2023 tax return for the 2025–26 FAFSA, plus any W-2s/1099s if applicable.
- Your parent's ITIN, if they have one (ED says entering an ITIN can help for contributors without an SSN).
- A few uninterrupted minutes where you and your parent can coordinate, since the FAFSA requires the student and contributor sections to connect correctly.
Step 1: Create StudentAid.gov accounts
You and your parent need to create separate accounts. Even if your parent contributor doesn't have an SSN, they still must create an account. Just follow the non-SSN contributor process and identity validation steps described in Federal Student Aid partner guidance.
Step 2: Start the FAFSA & invite the parent contributor
When inviting the parent, enter the parent's information exactly as it appears in their StudentAid.gov account and identity documents. Make sure to match those details so your application isn't held up.
If the invite doesn't go through, double-check that the name, birth date, and address you entered exactly match your parent's StudentAid.gov account exactly.
Step 3: Your parent completes their section
If your parent has a Social Security number (SSN), they should enter it when prompted.
If they don't have an SSN but do have an ITIN, they should enter their ITIN in the separate ITIN field in the form. Don’t enter an ITIN in the SSN field. If you don’t have an ITIN, leave the ITIN field blank.
In either case, they may need to enter tax and income details manually.
Step 4: Submit your application and confirm
After all required sections are complete, submit the FAFSA and look for confirmation of your submission.
To be safe, after you press submit, check your FAFSA confirmation page/email and your StudentAid.gov dashboard to make sure it shows as submitted. It's not uncommon for a student to think they've submitted the FAFSA when they have not.
If you're an undocumented student: do this instead
Because undocumented students are not eligible for federal student aid, the most useful next step is to focus on state, college, and scholarship pathways. Federal Student Aid recommends checking with a counselor or school financial aid office about what to submit for non-federal aid. We also have a helpful guide for undocumented students looking for state and private financial aid.
Check your state's rules
State policies on whether undocumented students are eligible for in-state tuition rates or institutional aid vary widely and can change. The National Immigration Law Center provides updated summaries of current in-state tuition and state aid policies for undocumented students. So be sure to bookmark that resource and recheck it from time to time.
Ask each college about institutional aid
Some colleges offer their own grants and scholarships and may ask for FAFSA-style income information or other forms to make their institutional aid decisions. Be sure to contact the financial aid office for guidance on what to complete in their situation.
Apply for private scholarships
Private scholarships may be available to undocumented students depending on eligibility rules. NASFAA publishes guidance and tip sheets highlighting pathways and considerations for undocumented students seeking aid. We also have a prefiltered list of scholarships for undocumented students.
Will FAFSA information be used for immigration enforcement?
Families ask this because privacy feels high-stakes. NASFAA says FAFSA information has not historically been used for immigration purposes. FAFSA data is protected by federal privacy rules and is generally used to apply for, award, and administer financial aid.
In limited circumstances, the Department of Education may be permitted by law to share information with other federal agencies. If your family has concerns, talk with a trusted counselor or your college's financial aid office before you submit the FAFSA.
Common FAFSA mistakes to avoid
Assuming you can't file because a parent has no SSN
You should file the FAFSA, and the Federal Student Aid provides specific guidance on how to do it.
Guessing what your state allows
In-state tuition and state aid rules vary and can change, so verify your state's current policy before making decisions. In-state tuition can be thousands of dollars less per year than out-of-state tuition, so this is something to keep in mind.
Skipping conversations about college aid
Some schools offer institutional aid to undocumented students even when federal aid is not available. The financial aid office can tell you what you might be eligible for and what to submit.
Next steps
If you're a citizen or an eligible noncitizen with undocumented parents
Create StudentAid.gov accounts for you and your parent, invite your parent as a contributor from your FAFSA, match information exactly to avoid errors, and submit early to meet state and school deadlines. Federal Student Aid partner guidance provides the most detailed contributor-without-SSN steps.
If you're undocumented
Confirm your state's policy on in-state tuition and state aid, ask colleges what they require for institutional aid, and prioritize scholarship applications that match your eligibility.
Looking for scholarships
If you're looking for scholarships you can actually apply for, create a free Appily account to explore our scholarship database. All scholarships are vetted, so you know they're real and safe to apply for. You can search by eligibility, interests, and graduation year. Just click the button to get started.
